Help Installing Carden Landing Gear Cuffs

[ace20]

I ordered the Carden gear cuffs for my plane, but i don't know how to install them. The ones I see on other people's plane have what appears to be a rubber grommet or something on them. Anyone know how to install them. Extra 330

Thanks,
Anthony

[jack01]

That rubber grommet you see is actually black neoprene tubing. There's a couple ways to install them:

1. Use goop, clear silicone, or something similar to glue them to the landing gear. This holds them really well, but they usually don't give when you have a hard landing. They'll eventually dig into the cheeks on the side of the fuse.

2. Use black neoprene tubing around the edges of the cuff, big end and small end, to dress it up and help hold it to the gear. IMHO, this is the best looking setup out there, but it does take a lot of work to get it right. There's not a lot that will glue neoprene to painted fiberglass very well, and it takes some trial and error trimming to get the fit just right on the small end of the cuff. The advantage is that it looks the most like the real thing, and the cuff can slide if you have a rough landing/ bouncy trailer.

3. Some people also use a screw to bolt the cuff to either the landing gear or the nose cheek. This is better than the first method since you can remove it, but it can still cut into the cheek since it can't slide. To fix this, some people have the screw just putting pressure on the gear rather than actually threading into it. I never had good luck with that method though.....

[sweetpea]

I use both the neoprene and the screw. Doesn't dig into the fuse that way and can be removed.

Add a little Marvel Mystery oil to the neoprene for a shine. The neoprene also covers up any out of roudness the cover may have so gaps will be covered.

[ace20]

Thanks guys, I will try the first method for now.(I think) I have carbon fiber gear, and I really don't want to screw into it. Now to find some neoprene tubing. Again thanks guys.

Anthony

[jack01]

Btw, splitting the neoprene tubing is a BEOTCH. So if you can make a little channel to hold it out of some scrap wood, that will make it alot easier. I just glued two pieces of 1/4 balsa to an old piece of plywood.

[sweetpea]

Autozone sells it cheap by the foot. Just find the diameter you want.

[rc4flying]

Here is a pic of how I do mine. this is a product from Fourmost. It is called U- Trim Small 1/8" and can be gotten from Tower Hobbies or your local hobby shop can usually order this.

The product is very small and is slipped onto the edge of the glass cuff and then CA is wicked on the inside to glue it on. Very neat finished look.